The contract was the second for the Mobile-based company which is already working in the neighborhood on a $6 million cleanup contract approved May 24.

Today's vote represents the last of the cleanup work contracts and ends talk about using the Army Corps of Engineers for any portion of the tornado cleanup effort. Mayor William Bell was a critic of the Corps and had advocated using private companies for the job, saying those firms would hire local and minority workers.

The council though had passed a resolution asking Bell to contact the Corps about handling the private property cleanup, but today's vote makes that resolution moot.

Bell did send a letter to Alabama EMA officials about a Corps contract, but communication was crossed between the agency and City Hall. Yasamie August, spokeswoman for the state EMA Monday said the agency knew of city officials' interest in using the Corps but was unaware of any official letter until being contacted by The News.

The letter was not addressed to any individual and began simply with "Dear Sirs."

Bell on Tuesday said his office did talk to EMA officials and learned that the Corps does not negotiate terms of its services. The Corps is called by EMA officials to handle work and then brings its national contractor into manage the process. That company then hires subcontractors.

Unlike private companies, where cities advance payment and are reimbursed later, the Corps handles all issues of its payment and reimbursement from government sources, eliminating the need for advance payment.

But Bell said he remains committed to local and minority hiring and the Corps option takes away the city's ability to guarantee that.

Councilman Johnathan Austin and Jay Roberson praised the work of DRC already done at the site. Roberson echoed Bell in stressing the importance of hiring local and minority labor.

"It is my stance that we continue to keep these jobs in the city, in this region," Roberson said.

Council President Roderick Royal, whose district includes Pratt City, said it was clear Bell didn't try in earnest to work with the agency because he already favored the private firms. Royal favored the Corps option.

"We could have done a better job," he said. "I'm not convinced about the argument about minority participation."

Royal said the companies currently hired by the city have the same model as the Corps when it comes to contracting and sub-contracting. Royal was already outnumbered by supporters for the contract and council members Maxine Parker, Lashunda Scales and Carole Smitherman left the dais before the vote. Steven Hoyt was absent. The issue passed with five votes.

"But I'm not going to stand in the way here," Royal said, adding that a delay would add more time for extended cleanup. "I'm going to hold my nose and reluctantly vote, for my neighbors."

Besides the two contracts with DRC, the city has a $2.7 million management contract with Malcolm Pirnie and a recycling contract with Southeast Renewables, the value of which depends on the volume of material handled.